Once the online application is complete and all supporting documentation has been attached, please do not send hard copies of documents, email documents or contact the processing office in Vietnam to ask if the documents have been received. This takes time away from processing and may cause delays to the outcome of your visa application.

*Please note, from 19 November 2016 Temporary Work and Temporary Activity visa applications cannot be lodged at VFS Global and must be lodged online (refer above).

VFS Global has been appointed by DIBP as a service delivery partner to collect visa applications, Australian Citizenship by Descent applications and biometrics in Vietnam. Applications in Vietnam can be lodged at any of the VFS Global visa application centres.

Clients with urgent visa applications may be considered for expedited processing, however, only in exceptional circumstances and on a case by case basis. Please make this known to VFS when booking your appointment or lodging your visa application.

Important Notices

Incomplete applications

Under the Migration Act 1958 applications may be decided on the basis of available information. Therefore, it is important that applications contain all requested information at time of lodgement. Incomplete or poorly documented applications are likely to be refused.

All visa applicants need to meet Australia’s health requirement and depending on which visa you intend to apply for, a medical examination may be required. Please refer to the relevant visa document checklist for further guidance.

The health examination and following immigration health assessment process can take several weeks to be completed. To avoid delays, you can complete your health examinations before lodging your visa application by using a new service called My Health Declarations.

My Health Declarations is a service that allows you to complete your health examination before lodging your visa application using our eMedical system.

Any degree of fraud or misrepresentation will result in your application being refused. Applicants should answer all questions truthfully and disclose any information relevant to the question. All signatures on forms and in the applicant’s passport must be the applicants.

Certification of documentation

All documents issued in Vietnam that require certification must be certified by the applicant’s local Peoples Committee or the State Public Notary.

The Consular Section of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade at the Australian Embassy in Hanoi and the Australian Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City can certify documents issued by the Australian government organisations and/or other Australian agencies and witness signatures of the Australian citizens and Australian permanent residents at their request, however, please note there is a small fee for this service.

In Australia, copies may be certified by a Justice of the Peace, Commissioner for Declarations, or person before whom a statutory declaration may be made under the Statutory Declarations Act 1959. Photocopies of certified copies are not acceptable.

Translation of documentation

Some Vietnamese documents will require an English translation. Please refer to the relevant document checklist for the type of visa you are applying for. All other foreign language documents must be accompanied by a certified translation.